Lost In The Fog
by gimme shelter
Summary: sequel to ghosts of the past, holmes has a new case but will it register on an emotional level? and what will happen when the great detectives life gets complicated holmes/oc
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Back In The Game

Sherlock sat in his room, the curtains were drawn and the room was coated in darkness, he couldn't remember the last time he'd opened the curtains. He held the letter in his hands; it was heavily crumpled where he'd read it so many times. He sighed as he slumped deeper into the chair, he'd had no cases to take his mind off of that letter, no distractions and his mind was seeping into stagnation. The door opened slowly and Watson walked in accompanied by Mary,

' Right enough is enough' Watson exclaimed and yanked the curtains open, Holmes threw his hands up to his face and covered his eyes,

' Watson, Mary always a pleasure to see you' his voice held none of its confident swagger anymore, it was just a monotone droning now,

' You have to leave this room, it's not healthy' Mary said sitting beside him

' Thank you for caring my dear but I'm content where I am' Watson rolled his eyes,

' It's been eight months Holmes'

' I am aware of time Watson'

' Then you'll be aware that it's been a long time since you took on a case?'

' There are no cases' he gripped the piece of crumpled paper in his hand tighter,

' What about this one, count Lindemann of Germanys fiancée has had a precious diamond necklace stolen worth £10,000?' Mary said holding the newspaper out to him,

' It's in a pawn shop, the count has a gambling problem and had to pay off his debts' Sherlock said in a bored voice,

' Holmes you need to shake yourself out of this I know it's been a rough few months but you cant hide yourself away in here'

' Thank you for the concern Watson, but I'll leave when there is something to leave for' Watson sighed and took Mary's arm, the two of them left but both looked back at Holmes with worried expressions as they did.

Holmes did leave his room that night, he went to the slums of London where he bare knuckle boxed for money, he sat upstairs in the room he rented listening to the shouts of the gambling men and the loud music that filled this space. He ran his hand over the floor, the floor where he'd made love to Nancy only months ago, where he'd held her warm naked body against his and felt comforted. He shook himself from his reminiscing and walked downstairs, he picked up a bottle of whiskey, took a long swig and removed his jacket and shirt before stepping into the makeshift enclosure.

Holmes had found a place to vent his frustration, before when he'd fought it had mainly been part of his income and for a bit of gambling, now it became his place to inflict his pain on others. He pounded his fists into his opponent's abdomen furiously as the crowd cheered, most had come to realise that when Holmes was in a fight, you put your money on him. His opponent smashed a fist into Holmes' jaw trying to make him stop but it didn't deter Holmes from throwing another furious punch at the man, the crowd jeered as the man stumbled and spat blood, Holmes wiped his face and looked up at the people watching the fight from the upstairs part of the building. Most were women, well prostitutes, they were either brought there by a man who had paid for them or were waiting to be bought by a man who won a bet that night and had maybe had a little too much to drink. Holmes bared them no ill will, he pitied them more than anything, he knew given the choice none of those women would choose that life and he despised the men that took them into it. He looked at a group of four women, two had obviously been selling themselves for a long time, they were in their forties and looked worn down, a third was still fairly young with red hair and grey eyes, she managed to give the occasional man a smile that the other two couldn't seem to muster, she obviously hadn't been in the game as long as them, though the two women watched her protectively like she was their daughter, though Holmes could tell from the difference in their appearances they definitely were not related. It was the fourth who he couldn't help watching, she was very young, maybe in her early twenties, she had medium brown coloured hair, pale flawless skin and bright brown eyes, her face was soft and she looked warily around, poor little lamb he thought to himself. He could tell from one look at her she'd just been brought into this life, she was a lamb to the slaughter, men eyed her hungrily and the red head put a protective arm around her. He returned to the fight as his opponent grunted behind him and swaggered slightly, one hit to the head would end this and he collect his winnings and return to his room. The fight was soon over in one hit, the man hit the floor and Holmes exited the enclosure, collected his winnings and a bottle of whiskey and walked back upstairs, he stopped at the top of the stairs and turned, he saw the red head and the younger woman together but the two older ones had left.

He stayed in the room for an hour and finally left as another fight was starting up, he walked back to his home in Baker Street and walked upstairs to his room in silence. Watson was there a few hours later as the sun was just rising,

' Get up you have a new case' he said sternly, Holmes eyed him curiously, Watson looked grey and tired, he was completely serious, Holmes sat up fully alert and feeling a spark of his old self return,

' What do we have?'

' You better come see'.

Holmes dressed quickly and the two of them climbed into the carriage waiting outside, Lestrade was already in there and he looked as grey and sombre as Watson,

' Monstrous' was all he muttered

' Will someone please tell me what we are investigating here?' Holmes asked, Lestrade looked at Watson almost pleadingly as if silently begging him to tell Holmes so he wouldn't have to think about the new case,

' The press are already calling _"the double event"_, two prostitutes were murdered last night in the east end'

' Together or separately?' Holmes asked showing no emotion in his voice, Watson had to smile a little, the old detached Holmes was back on the case and he felt relieved,

' Separately, less than half a mile apart'

' Out on the street?'

' Yes, one in an alleyway just a few minutes from where she lived, the other was found in someone's public yard'

' Public yard, did anyone hear anything?'

' No surprisingly, she was definitely killed there but all the houses that overlook the yard were empty last night, most people were out at the pub or the girls were working' Lestrade piped up finally, his face grew a bit more pallid as he spoke,

' So we have no witnesses?'

' Well one bloke claims he saw one of the women talking to a tall man, possibly in his forties, didn't get a look at the face because he was wearing a hat and long over coat'

' Do we have identities for the women?' Holmes said quietly

' Yes for both, they were well known, names were Annie Lambert and Mary Jones'

' Any suspects, though I suppose not otherwise you would have mentioned it?'

' None except for the description of a possible suspect but tall and in his forties don't really narrow it down too much' Lestrade said frustrated.

The carriage stopped and all three stepped out to the scene of Annie Lamberts murder, hers had taken place near the place where she was lodging, people were crowding the area trying to get a look at the body,

' All right you lot clear off and let us do our job' Lestrade shouted as the crowd began to disperse, Holmes bent down near the body and looked closely at her face,

' I saw this woman last night Watson' Watson crouched next to him and stared at him,

' Where?'

' I was fighting she was there with her friends to pick up some company, when the fight was over she and one of her other friends had left'

' Did you see who she left with?'

' No' Holmes used a pen in his pocket to raise a cloth over her neck, and inspected her other wounds,

' The throat was cut from left to right, you can tell from the snagging on her skin, she hasn't been drugged and there is no scent of alcohol suggesting her attacker knew her well enough to know she trusted him and he wouldn't have to drug her, severe wounds to the chest and abdomen'

' Do you notice what I did?' Watson muttered quietly

' That all the cuts are directly over where some of her vital organs are? Yes I did'

' That takes medical knowledge Holmes'

' Possibly, though it could be a run of the mill butcher who's just guessing that a human kidney is roughly in the same place as a pigs kidney' Watson nodded in agreement,

' Watson would you please show me the other victim?'

' Yes, she's in a much worse state than this poor woman though' the two of them walked in silence until they reached the body of Mary Jones.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: In The Yard

Holmes and Watson walked through the crowd who were being held back from entering the yard by a few of Lestrades men, the crowd shouted questions and asked if it was true had the women been ripped apart and thrown all around the yard? Watson looked disgusted,

' Such a lack of compassion, would they jeer so if it was their wife, mother, child or sister lying in there?' he said loudly and the crowd immediately silenced and looked at the pavement, Holmes smiled slightly and they walked through a small archway to the yard. The body was lying near a fence in the yard and all of Lestrades men were avoiding being anywhere near it, Holmes and Watson walked over and once again crouched by the body,

' Just as I suspected' Holmes muttered

' What is?' Watson asked perplexed

' This is Annie's friend, the woman she was with last night when I saw them'

' So what are we looking at here?' Watson asked his confusion growing

' Compare the bodies Watson, Mary's body has been completely mutilated, Annie's wasn't, he started with Mary and when he went to kill Annie in the same manner he was disturbed so he didn't get this far with her, but look,' he pointed to the open gash in Mary's neck,

' Throat cut in the same manner, wounds in the same place except he got further with Mary, he has removed some of her organs if I'm not mistaken?' Watson looked at the doctor Lestrade had brought in and he nodded,

' Best I can tell this poor thing's missing a kidney and…possibly part of her uterus, though without doing a proper autopsy I cant be definite' he looked gaunt as he looked at the body, Holmes raised an eyebrow and stood up so he was eye to eye with the young man,

' And you are?' he asked holding out a hand

' Sorry, Dr Anthony Tobin, you are of course Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson?'

' We are, you're very young to be on a case like this?'

' No one else would do it' he looked glum, like he didn't want to either, Holmes nodded. They spent more time at the scene and Holmes became distracted when he looked over and saw the red head and the brunette from the night before, both women were visibly shaken by what had happened to their friends. He and Watson walked over to them,

' Ladies I am Dr John Watson this is Sherlock Holmes'

' Nice to meet you I'm sure, I'm Moira Kennedy' the older red head said confidently in an Irish accent,

' And you are?' Holmes said to the young brunette

' Grace Halliwell' she was English and her voice trembled, she was still shocked at what she'd seen, she must be new in London if she's not used to the news of a body being found, Holmes mused silently,

' Ladies, I am terribly sorry about your friends' Watson said

' That's all well and good but it wont stop here you know that as well as us' Moira said,

' If you need protection I'm sure Lestrade could arrange something?' Watson said, Holmes remained silent,

' Oh yeah and what about all the other poor girls out there, he's gonna get us all whether we're protected or not, look at this mess, he did these things in a public places and no one caught him, how is anyone going to protect us and why would they want to?'

' Of course we want to keep you safe' Watson said warmly

' Well you're probably alone on that, what's one less whore on the street, your rich friends probably see this as a blessing' the red head was angry, her grief at losing her friends had taken hold,

' I assure you anyone I know that sees this as a blessing is no friend of mine' Watson said firmly

' What about you boxing man, you really want to help the whores of cheap side?' she said to Holmes,

' Yes, but mostly I want to stop him before he kills again, now he has targeted your friends for a reason, do you know what that might be?'

' No idea, Annie and Mary have been friends a long time and they both grew up here, god knows what they found out in all those years, maybe they got something on a member of parliament who comes here or a rich guy who prefers a whore to his wife? A lot goes on here the upper class would hate to get out but if they knew something they didn't tell me'

' What about you?' Holmes said to Grace,

' Barely spoke to me, I've only been here three days so I didn't really know them' Holmes nodded as Moira spoke again,

' Look we can take care of ourselves you just concentrate on finding this butcher'

' Very well but should you hear anything you can find us here' Watson scribbled the Baker Street address on a bit of paper and handed it to Moira, she nodded and put it in her pocket before walking away with Grace.

The days went on with no new leads and no new bodies turning up, Holmes and Watson went to the autopsies, went through every file on similar murders to see if there were any matches and trawled through the evidence but came up with nothing, it was extremely frustrating for Holmes,

' Well I give up we have nothing, so what's your theory?' Watson said throwing a newspaper back on the table,

' I'm not sure yet, it's a man that's definite Annie wasn't a small girl it would take a big woman to overpower her like that, he has some anatomical knowledge to remove those precise organs, but why is he targeting them?'

' Well they're out on the street a lot perhaps they're just easier to get to or lull into a false situation?'

' Perhaps or did those women know something that could get them killed and will our killer assume they will have told their friends what they knew?'

' Moira said they weren't told anything?'

' Yes but our killer may not know that he also may not care' Holmes stood up and walked out to the hallway,

' Where are you going?'

' To clear my head' Holmes said as he walked out of the front door.

Holmes stood in the enclosure and laid his opponent out in a last hit to the jaw, the crowd cheered and rushed to collect their winnings, he looked around and saw Grace alone at the foot of the stairs to his upstairs room, she hadn't noticed him. He pulled his shirt on and grabbed a bottle and his money before weaving through the crowd towards her, she seemed to be avoiding all the men in the room and there was no sign of Moira, Holmes watched a large drunk man stumble over to her,

' Well aren't you a pretty little thing?' grace recoiled at the stench of gin on his breath

' Am I?' she said sarcastically

' Haven't seen you about before?' his words slurred slightly as he tried to grin seductively at her,

' You should get your eyesight checked then' she said with no hint of amusement,

' Your funny I like that, why don't you come for a little walk with me eh?' he grabbed her by the elbow, grace was about to shout when Holmes came over,

' Would you mind taking your hands off my company please?'

' You what?' the man said highly confused

' This is my friend for the night I paid for her earlier and asked her to meet me here, so if you don't mind?' Holmes looked at his hands that were still gripping Grace's arm tightly, the man was drunk but he was sober enough to remember that this was the man from the fights that had won him a pretty penny on many occasions,

' Apologies mate, thought she was alone' Holmes nodded and took Graces arm and led her upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Deep Down Inside

Holmes pulled Grace into the room, she struggled against him and once they were in the room she ripped her arm out of his grip,

' I don't need you to protect me'

' Well I suppose you'd rather have gone with him?' she opened her mouth to reply and closed it again,

' I wasn't here to pick up men, Moira told me to meet her here an hour ago but she hasn't shown up yet'

' Why were you meeting here?'

' She thought I'd be safer in a crowded place until she found us new lodgings but she said she'd be here an hour ago whether she found somewhere or not' Grace looked worried and Holmes softened towards her,

' I'm sure she'll be here soon' he handed her the bottle of whiskey and she took a swig and returned it smiling at him,

' So tell me what bring you to London Miss Halliwell?'

' I grew up here, in the east end, when I was eight my father died and my grandmother took my mother and me away to the country side, she gave me a good education and a wonderful upbringing. She died last year and my mother passed away a few months ago, I met Moira at the funeral and came back here with her a few days ago'

' How old are you Miss Halliwell?'

' You can call me Grace you know, and I'm twenty three' he smiled at her

' You have sad eyes' she said bluntly and he looked up at her in surprise

' Do I?'

' You know you do, you're sad deep down inside'

' Perhaps I am'

' I'm sure you have your reasons, I wont ask what they are'

' Grace why don't you come back to the house where I live I'm sure Mrs Hudson has a spare room, I'd feel better knowing you were safe and we can leave a message with the barman down there for Moira?'

' I can't pay my way, I've got nothing'

' It'll be fine'

' You're not paying for me, I'm not a whore Mr Holmes'

' I wasn't implying you were what I meant was if you're not against working I'm sure Mrs Hudson could use some help around the house'

' Oh…I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you'

' Forgotten' he stood up and offered his arm to her, she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and took his arm.

They walked out of the room, it was practically silent downstairs now the fights were over and the crowd had dispersed. It wasn't totally empty Clarky; one of Lestrades men was downstairs talking to the barman,

' Clarky to what do I owe the honour?' Holmes said

' There's been another murder sir' Clarky said his voice trembling, Sherlock felt Grace's hand tighten on his arm with fear,

' Do we know who it was Clarky?' his voice was quieter

' No name sir, she's a young woman in her twenties, blonde hair and one man said she was a prostitute' Sherlock felt Grace's hand relax on his arm and he turned to look at her,

' Grace would it be too much to ask you to come with us, in case you can identify her, you don't have to?'

' No I'll come if she has family or friends they'll want to know what's happened to her' he smiled gratefully at her and they followed Clarky outside to the waiting carriage.

They pulled up to a busy street; people crowded the streets they'd all spilled out from the local pubs to see what had happened, Sherlock led Grace through the crowd with Clarky. They walked to a back alleyway where other officers were guarding the scene and stopping the public from going in, the three of them passed through to see Lestrade talking to Watson, the doctor from the scene of Mary's death was there inspecting the body. Grace followed Holmes over to Watson,

' Well do we have an identity yet Watson?' Holmes asked getting straight down to business,

' No, Grace what are you doing here?'

' Tagging along, might be able to tell you who she is' Watson nodded grimly

' I'm sorry you have to be involved' she nodded and tightened the shawl round her shoulders again, the cold night air bit at her skin sharply,

' Well Miss if you could help us we'd all be very grateful' Lestrade said kindly, Grace nodded again and Holmes led her over to the body.

Grace felt sick to her stomach, the smell of blood mingled with the awful stench that usually filled the streets and made her feel nauseas, Holmes took her arm again to support her and walked over to the body with her. Dr Tobin looked up grimly and moved aside so they could see the body; it was awful, grace gasped and covered her mouth with her hand,

' I know who she is'

' What is her name Grace?'

' Marianne Curtis'

' Thank you Grace' he walked her back to the carriage and Clarky stayed with her until Holmes returned. He returned to the carriage an hour later, and stayed silent for the whole ride back, she sat in the parlour and waited while Holmes spoke to Mrs Hudson about her staying. Mrs Hudson was fine as long as she was willing to help out to earn her keep; Holmes showed her upstairs and paused outside her door,

' What is it?' she asked him

' Nothing, sleep well Grace' he walked away and left her alone, she fell onto the bed feeling exhausted and instantly drifted off into a deep sleep.

Holmes sat in his room, he had avoided that room since she'd left, it had stayed vacant since she'd left as well, now knowing Grace was asleep in there made him feel uneasy. What made him more uneasy was the fact that he hadn't stopped thinking about Grace since he'd first laid eyes on her, he delicate face, her warm eyes, her soft pouty lips made him feel things he hadn't felt in months but at the same time he felt guilty, like he was betraying Nancy.

He avoided Grace for two weeks, he wasn't sure why and he felt petty for doing it, he'd bumped into her once on the landing, she'd smiled warmly but he'd ignored her coldly and left her standing there. There had been no word or sign of Moira, Grace felt utterly alone and didn't know what she'd done to offend Sherlock and make him ignore her. After bumping into him on the landing and having him blank her coldly she'd had enough, she'd tried to shake it off thinking that maybe the case was consuming him but after that incident she was certain he was deliberately avoiding her. She walked to his room and slammed her fist against the door, he opened the door and peeked round,

' Grace what can I do for you?' she pushed the door open and walked in

' You can tell me why your avoiding me like the plague, have I done something to offend you?' she said angrily, her temper getting the better of her,

' Grace…'

' No seriously what have I done to you, tell me?' she said indignantly, Holmes frowned and closed the door, he crossed the room to where she stood and gripped the tops of her arms tightly, Grace flinched thinking he was going to hit her or shout at her, instead she was shocked when he leant in and his lips caressed hers.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Faces Full Of Fear

Grace pulled back sharply and stared at him in shock, Holmes was stunned himself; he didn't know why he'd done it,

' Grace I…'

' No stop just because I live on the streets doesn't mean I'm a whore you can take advantage of' she shouted angrily, rage filled her

' I didn't…'

' No, I'm going don't follow me' she stormed out of the room infuriated and he heard her stomp down the stairs. He slumped down in the chair and rubbed his face, he couldn't believe he'd been so foolish, why was he letting his emotions rule his decisions.

He didn't know how long he sat there but Watson bursting into the room jerked him from his thoughts,

' We have to go' he said, Watson was visibly flustered

' What is it now?'

' The case remember? What's wrong with you?'

' I can't focus, at a point when I need to the most I just cant'

' Because of Nancy?'

' Of course, who else'

' Holmes she's made a new life for himself, you have to let her have that chance and she's given you a chance at a new life as well'

' I know that, but she consumes my every waking thought'

' Well try and get your thoughts in the case, we have a new victim' Holmes stopped in surprise,

' Do we have an identification?'

' Yes'

' And…?'

' It's Moira, that red head that was with Grace' Holmes rubbed his face and the two left to go to the crime scene.

The scene was brutal; Moira had evidently found a new lodging house and that was where she had been killed. This was the worst scene they'd encountered; their killer had had more time to massacre Moira's body, she was in pieces. Every policeman was covering their mouth to stop themselves from gagging at the stench; Moira had been there hours, possibly a few days. There wasn't much left of Moira to identify her, but the landlord had been able to tell them it was her, Holmes kept hoping that Grace would show up at the scene but there was no sign of her. He wanted to apologise for his behaviour, he had know found a reason for why he'd been so impulsive with her, he had been thinking about Nancy and wondering if he could replace his feelings for her, it turned out he couldn't.

They left the scene and instead of going back to Baker Street he wandered the streets, partly he was thinking about the case but mostly he wanted to find Grace and make sure she was safe. He walked for hours and saw no sign of her, he asked around and no one had seen her for days, he was starting to worry.

Another week passed and he was wandering the streets more than he was at home but there was still no sign of Grace. Watson shared his worry and had begun to walk the streets as well to look for her; both were working flat out on solving the case and trying to find Grace. They had no new leads on their killer, Dr Tobin had performed what little of an autopsy he could perform on Moira's remains, he had found that her liver was nowhere to be seen in her body or the remains that were scattered around the room. Grace had been missing for two weeks when a parcel arrived at Scotland Yard, inside was half a liver that the sender claimed belonged to Moira, the sender signed his short note "_the east end slasher"_, he simply wrote that he had eaten the other half of the liver and enjoyed it thoroughly and he would strike again soon. London was in uproar, they had never seen killings so barbaric and now they'd had two different killers striking in the last year, Scotland Yard were dealing with several false notes claiming to be from their man.

Two weeks later, a month after Moira's death, the killer stuck to his word and killed again. Holmes and Watson walked through the regular crowd of gawping Londoners to the newest murder scene; Lestrade and Clarky were already there with Dr Tobin.

' So here we are again' Lestrade said grimly

' Indeed, has the girl been identified?' Watson said

' Erm…yes she was easy to identify, it looks like our man got disturbed again' Lestrade said awkwardly,

' So who is it?' Watson said while Holmes looked around at the faces full of fear that made up the crowd,

' Grace Halliwell' Lestrade said sombrely, Holmes turned to look at him in surprise, he and Watson both looked at each other before charging over to where Dr Tobin was examining her body, they looked down at Grace her face was frozen in fear.

It felt like the longest day ever to Holmes, he was consumed by guilt. Grace had had her throat slit and her body had been mutilated like the others, though the killer hadn't had enough time to remove any of her organs, though according to Tobin he had tried. Holmes returned home and sank into a chair in his room, he'd become emotionally involved in the case and he was paying for it, Watson walked slowly into the room,

' Holmes, are you alright?' he asked tentatively

' It's my fault she's dead' he said quietly

' No it isn't'

' I should have kept her here where she would have been safe and instead I let her leave and look what happened' he poured himself a whiskey and downed it,

' You got involved on an emotional level Holmes, it's normal to feel guilty in this situation but you can't blame yourself for Grace's death'

' We need to figure this out Watson, I cant see anymore girls like that because of him' Watson nodded,

' I'll get the latest report from Lestrade' he said picking up his hat and leaving.

Holmes put down his glass, lit a lamp and picked up the crumpled letter again, he re-read it for possibly the hundredth time;

Dearest Sherlock,

When you receive this I shall be settled in my new life, I hope I find you well and busy enough to stop your brilliant mind resorting to stagnation. I know we didn't part well and I am sorry for that but it is for the best, I distract you from your cases and I need to spend time with my remaining family. Although I know it was me that made the choice to leave I cant say I'm not hurt, I ache every day when I think of you and my only wish was that you'd been there, come after me and stopped me from getting on that boat and leaving you. I wanted you to be there so much and you didn't come, it killed me to think that you didn't care but I've come to accept that fact. I have met someone and he is a wonderful gentleman in every way, he dotes on me and tells me I make him very happy, I feel he may propose soon, how wonderful is that. Well I'm sorry this letter is short, just wanted you to know we all got here safely, I wish you every happiness,

Warmest Regards

Nancy

Holmes folded the letter back up and ran his hand through his hair in frustration; he hadn't had the guts to reply to her letter in the six months since he'd received it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Frustrated Sherlock

Holmes locked himself away in his room, he was determined to solve this case before any other poor girls were killed and he wouldn't leave until he had achieved his goal. Watson was growing increasingly concerned about him and Mary couldn't help noticing, when Holmes retreated into himself, Watson soon followed.

Three weeks passed and there had been no more murders and Holmes still hadn't left his room, both Watson and Mary had tried to encourage him to leave but he was burying himself under piles of newspapers and police reports.

Holmes sat in the dark room, his mind was refusing to work and he was no closer to discovering, who was killing these girls,

' Holmes' Watson said bursting into the room, followed by Lestrade and Clarky,

' Is this an intervention?' he said sarcastically as the three of them stood in the lit doorway, Watson threw Holmes his coat and hat,

' Get up there's been another murder' Watson said frustrated, Holmes was on his feet in seconds,

' Where'.

The killer had been more vicious this time, they couldn't identify the woman because her face had been so badly mutilated, her throat had been slit and worst of all her heart was missing,

' The question is, where is the heart?' Dr Tobin said grimly

' He has it' Holmes said solemnly as Watson and Tobin pulled a sheet over the poor girls body. People were becoming angry; the papers had branded the killer " the Whitechapel slasher" and now the public wanted answers,

' Who is he? Why is he doing this? You got any suspects? When you going to catch him?' so many questions were yelled at them from the crowd, and they couldn't answer any of them. The questions angered Holmes, he wanted to answer them but all he could think about was Nancy, he was furious with her, furious that she had met someone new and by now could be engaged or married, he wanted her here with him. He couldn't think straight, he wanted to catch this man for Grace, but Nancy stayed in his mind, perhaps he should answer her letter, maybe that would give him some closure.

A few hours later he returned back to Baker Street, he was exhausted. There were no new witnesses and Scotland Yard was inundated with men claiming to be the killer, but he knew it was none of them. He knew he must look awful because Mrs Hudson sat him down in the parlour and made sure he drank a cup of tea before she would let him leave. He trudged upstairs and opened his door,

' Hello Sherlock' he looked up and gaped in shock

' Nancy?'

' You look awful' she said standing up and crossing the room

' Where's your fiancée?' Holmes knew he sounded childish but he didn't care,

' What fiancée?' she said perplexed

' The one you wrote about in your letter' he said throwing his coat on a chair and sitting down, Nancy sighed, closed the door and sat next to him.

Sherlock didn't move, he plucked his violin and stared at the wall, she knew he was angry,

' There is no fiancée, there hasn't been anyone, I only said that because I wanted to make you jealous, when you didn't reply I just assumed you didn't care'

' I always care about you' he muttered

' I hate America, I don't know anyone and it's all so different, I wanted to come home months ago'

' Then why didn't you?'

' Because I couldn't face seeing you, I thought you'd have some new woman on your arm and I'd have to see the two of you together, I couldn't bear that'

' There has been no one, what made you come back?'

' I've been keeping in contact with Mary, she told me about the case and how badly it was affecting you, so I came back, I didn't know if you wanted me to and you can tell me to leave but I was worried about you' he stopped plucking the violin and turned to look at her, he'd missed those eyes.

He stood up and rubbed his face, seconds later he felt her hands on his shoulders, she rubbed them gently and Sherlock felt some of his tension melt away at her touch, he turned around so his face was inches from hers, he had intended to say something but he couldn't speak anymore. His lips crashed against hers and she returned the kiss hungrily gripping his body tightly, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. Nancy removed his waistcoat and pulled his shirt over his head, she ran her fingers over his muscular stomach and moaned gently at the feel of his skin, she'd missed the warmth of his body. Holmes pulled her dress off her body hungrily, he wanted her body, he wanted to caress her soft breasts and smell the scent on her skin again, she unbuckled his trousers and caressed his hard dick gently, Sherlock moaned, his face buried against her neck. He unlaced her corset at the back as she completely removed the last of his clothes, she pushed him back and he lay on the bed, he watched her undo the clasps that were holding the corset to her body, she removed the last one and let the garment fall to the floor. Sherlock looked at her naked body and pulled her closer to him, she stood in front of him as he ran his hands over her skin and moaned when he gently sucked each of her nipples until they were firm, she felt weak in his hands. He laid her on the bed and gently climbed on top of her, Nancy parted her legs and he ran a finger over her, he paused on her clit and rubbed it firmly, Nancy moaned and pushed her body against his finger enjoying the pleasure. He parted her legs a little more and thrust into her, Nancy moaned and he continued to thrust but more gently to begin with. After a minute they swapped so she was on top of him, she rocked vigorously on top of him, he watched her with pleasure as her breasts bounced and her face broke into an expression of pleasure as she began to climax, she thrust harder and began to moan and he felt her tighten as she gasped for breath. Nancy came and he moved her so he was on top, he rammed himself in and out of her with a quicker pace and she gripped a pillow and bit down on it as she felt that familiar pleasure begin to wash over her again, Holmes gripped her tightly as he began to come inside of her, he tightened his grip on her hips as he climaxed and she climaxed with him.

They lay tangled in the bed sheets, both gasping for breath, Sherlock hadn't felt so happy or relaxed in months,

' I've missed you' she murmured as she lay against his body

' You realise you cant leave again?' he said smiling

' I don't intend to' she said smiling back at him and stroking his bare chest.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: In Another Life

Holmes opened his eyes, it was still dark outside so he hadn't been asleep for very long, he rubbed his face and saw her sitting at the bottom of the bed with her back to him. She still wore nothing and he smiled at the sight of that blonde hair curling gently down the soft curve of her back, he sat up slowly and moved closer to her, kissing her neck gently as he rested himself against her. She smiled and stopped reading the file she had been looking at as his hands cupped her breasts and massaged them gently,

' Stop reading and come back to bed' he murmured

' You should sleep, this is a big case Sherlock'

' I know and one that is proving unsolvable' he said tiredly as he rested his chin on her shoulder and looked at the file with her,

' You can solve anything' she said smiling and kissing him

' Perhaps I cant, this man has already evaded us enough times to brutally murder five women Nancy, everyone who claims they saw him gives a different description and we have lunatics rolling into Scotland Yard everyday claiming that they are the killer'

' You're distracted, talk to me?'

' It is you who has distracted me for so long, now you're here my mind wants to focus'

' I'm sorry I left' she murmured quietly

' Don't be you wanted to be with your family I understood that, I still wish I'd said something to you at the docks though'

' That was you I saw then?' she said happily and she turned to him, he smiled

' Perhaps'.

The next day Holmes took Nancy to each murder sight with him, he talked her through everything in all its gory details,

' Well the girls must have known who he was, they wouldn't go off with a random stranger with murders happening would they?'

' I agree I think the killer is known to them but so far none of the girls will break confidence on their punters so we've hit a dead end there'

' And when he killed out in that little courtyard and in that girls room, no one heard?' Nancy said incredulously,

' Apparently not, though it has crossed my mind that our killer is a Whitechapel resident, someone who would know what places would be deserted and when' they walked around a little more but so far no new evidence had been found and Holmes' frustration was growing.

They returned back to Mrs Hudson's house and walked upstairs, Nancy went into her old room, though Holmes tried to dissuade her and talk her into staying in his room. He was unsuccessful and returned to his room alone, or so he thought,

' Hello Sherlock' he flinched at the sound of that strong American accent and the scent of Parisian perfume,

' Irene, shouldn't you be in America?'

' I should but I'm not, Sherlock I hate how we left things, you and I belong together and I'm not leaving until you admit that'

' On the contrary Irene you and I definitely do not belong together, you like to create crime where as I prefer to solve them'

' We were good together though Sherlock, you and I tangled up in bed sheets in a hotel' she moved closer and ran a hand over his cheek, for a moment Sherlock remembered those strong feelings he had always carried for Irene,

' Perhaps in another life Irene'

' But this life would be so much better' she moved closer and kissed him, he didn't push her away straight away, Nancy had seen enough. She returned to her room and packed a bag, she walked outside and hailed one of the carriages and left Baker Street absolutely furious,

' Enough Irene' Holmes pushed her away and she looked at him angrily

' What is it Sherlock I offer myself up to you and you do nothing…oh I see'

' I doubt that'

' No I get it now, you've met some other little whore is that it?'

' She isn't a whore Irene'

' Oh don't tell me you're in love with her Sherlock, you know you've only ever loved me?' she moved closer to him again and he held her away at arms length,

' Yes Irene exactly, loved past tense I feel nothing for you now and I highly doubt I ever will again'

' Do you really think I'm giving up on you that easily Sherlock, whoever she is, she's just a passing fancy Sherlock I know you and I know you'll come round eventually and realise that it is you and I who are meant to be together' she picked up her hat and walked towards the door,

' I'll see you soon Sherlock'

' I hope not'.

Holmes was furious, he went straight to the fights, he vented his frustration out on a cocky young man who had his posh friends cheering him on, Holmes thought of Irene's smug face as he hit the young man. He returned back to Baker Street a couple of hours later with a slightly heavier pocket and a lighter frame of mind, Mrs Hudson was coming down the stairs as he walked in,

' Well I don't know what you did to that girl but she left here in such a state'

' Who the witch that is Irene Adler?'

' No I'm completely fine with you sending her packing, I meant Nancy'

' What? When did she leave?'

' Couple of minutes before Miss Adler, jumped in a carriage with a bag and went'

' Did she say where?'

' No just stormed out of here, perhaps she heard you and Miss Adler talking?' Holmes ran a hand through his damp, dishevelled hair and thought for a minute,

' Take my advice Mr Holmes, let her calm down'

' Thank you nanny' he said mockingly as he trudged upstairs.

Nancy sat on the bed and Mary sat next to her, she put a comforting arm around her friend,

' I never liked that Irene, she was always so full of herself from what john tells me'

' Well he doesn't seem to mind that'

' You need to talk to him, john seems to think that any feelings he had for Irene Adler disappeared the day you came back into his life and I have to say I agree, I was there when she left and when you left, he didn't pine for her like he did for you Nancy'

' I just can't face him right now without picturing her Mary'

' I understand but I know him or at least I know how he feels about you, she hasn't got a chance Nancy'

' Thank you Mary'

' I'll let you get some sleep, you do realise when he knows you've gone he'll be straight round here at the crack of dawn?'

' I know' Mary left and she lay back in the bed, she couldn't help comparing herself to the chic and confident American, would he choose her over Irene? Or was he with her now in bed with her? Needless to say Nancy barely slept a wink all night.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Like A Bad Smell

The next morning Nancy was up at the crack of dawn, apparently Sherlock had been up longer. She heard the doorbell ring and knew it was him, seconds later he was knocking on her door, she got up and opened the door to see him looking tired,

' May I come in?' he said cautiously

' Yes I think we need to talk' he walked in and sat on the bed running a hand through his already dishevelled hair,

' What you heard…'

' Saw actually'

' Very well what you saw was nothing, I have no feelings for Irene Adler not even ones of friendship' she sat down next to him

' Who was she to you?'

' A former flame, one who would walk in and out of my life whenever she chose'

' And you don't harbour any old feelings for her?'

' Irene…she…she broke my heart, I rarely let my personal feelings overtake me, you were a rare exception I could not ignore, but she was also and unlike you she toyed with me like I was a pet, any feeling I had for Irene vanished'

' I understand'

' Then understand Nancy that I would never insult you by feigning feelings for you, you have taken over my heart and I wouldn't have it any other way'

' Sherlock I've never heard you talk like that'

' You are the only one I would talk the truth to like that' she smiled and gently ran her fingers over his cheek,

' Does that mean I am forgiven?'

' Forgiven for what?' she said smiling at him, he smiled back and moved closer, his stubbly cheek rubbed against her smooth one before his lips gently touched hers.

Nancy was happy that it had been a misunderstanding; she knew there was no one else in the world she could trust more than Sherlock. They walked through London together and he held her hand without any shame, they got plenty of judgmental looks from the elderly wealthy women who passed them along with mutters of "not even married, look no rings" or "they should be ashamed it's a sin". They both ignored them all; Sherlock's theory was that they were jealous that they couldn't flaunt their lovers in public. When they reached Mrs Hudson's house in Baker Street the entire place was empty, well almost,

' Good morning Sherlock' Nancy felt him flinch the second she heard the American accent drift down the hallway from the lounge, Irene emerged in a cloud of musky perfume and smiled almost maliciously at them,

' Aren't you going to introduce us Sherlock?' she said in a faux warm tone

' Irene this is Nancy, Nancy Irene' he said scowling at her

' Pleasure to meet you Nancy' Irene said inclining her head and smiling smugly

' Pleasure's all yours' Nancy said coldly but keeping her smile plastered on her face,

' So you are the latest woman in Sherlock's life, has he grown bored of you yet?'

' Never' Sherlock said squeezing Nancy's hand tighter

' Hmm' Irene said, as she looked Nancy up and down

' You know I thought you'd be a great beauty but you're quite plain really' Irene said still keeping that stretched fake grin on her face,

' Really well better plain than coated in make up and perfume, don't you think that reads a little desperate, sort of mutton dressed as lamb?' Nancy said returning the fake smile, she could feel Sherlock shudder with silent laughter. Irene's grin faded and she regarded Nancy with a look of pure contempt,

' Well I had hoped the two of us would become friends but I see you are too arrogant for that'

' Really I hoped for the opposite so at least one of us got our wish' she smiled smugly at Irene who threw both of them a filthy look before storming out and slamming the front door. Sherlock paused briefly before smiling and looking at her,

' Well I think that went rather well' she didn't reply, she was on top of him in seconds pulling his jacket off and unbuttoning his trousers. Sherlock didn't hesitate in pulling her dress up and pulling her undergarments down, they fell back onto the carpeted hallway and he thrust into her, Nancy moaned against his lips and gasped as he pulled out and thrust back in. they stayed on the floor, Sherlock was still on top of her and Nancy was still shaking from the intensity of their love making,

' Will she always get this kind of reaction out of you?' he said breathlessly as he smiled at her and kissed her lips,

' What reaction?' Nancy said acting nonchalant

' The reaction where you mark your territory in a place where anyone could have walked in on us'

' Didn't seem to stop you' she said smiling at him, he pushed a strand of pale blonde hair out of her face and smiled

' Believe me my dear there is very little that will stop me where you are concerned'.

Nancy sat in her room and finished putting her hair up, she and Sherlock were going to dinner with Watson and Mary and she wanted to look nice, well more than nice she wanted Sherlock to react how she had earlier in the hallway. She had just finished her hair and was putting her coat on when Sherlock walked in,

' My dear you look absolutely…ravishing' he looked at her hungrily and pulled her tight against him as he kissed her neck,

' Don't start that again we're supposed to meet john and Mary'

' Fine, he always ruins my fun' Sherlock said sulkily. They joined john and Mary, Nancy was amazed that Sherlock and john were able to go five whole minutes before they started to talk about the case; she and Mary ignored them and had their own conversation,

' John tells me you met Irene today?' Mary said smirking as she took a sip of wine

' Yes I did'

' What did you think of her?'

' I think there is a word used to describe a woman like her and it's rarely used outside of a kennel' Mary almost spat her wine out and had to use her napkin to muffle her laughter.

They had a nice meal out, it felt strange to Nancy to see Sherlock and herself as a couple, they'd spent most of their time keeping their relationship quiet, now it was out in the open. Her good mood evaporated when an unwelcome face walked into the restaurant, Irene sauntered in with a wealthy older man who was gleaming at having the bold American on his arm,

' She's like a bad smell' Mary whispered to Nancy

' No that's just her perfume Mary' the two women laughed as Irene made a big show of making herself known and making sure she was noticed, Nancy was just happy they'd finished and were leaving.

She stood in front of the mirror in Sherlock's room and brushed her long hair, Sherlock stood behind her and swept her hair away from one side of her neck, he kissed it gently,

' Come to bed' he muttered as he kissed the soft spot below her ear, they didn't get to the bed, someone knocked sharply on Holmes door and he cursed under his breath,

' Who is it?'

' It's constable Clarke sir, I'm sorry to disturb you but there's another one sir' Holmes froze,

' Go' she whispered and kissed his lips; he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss,

' I'll be back as soon as I can' he grabbed his coat and left, Nancy sat on his bed and couldn't help feeling guilty, she was the happiest she'd been in a long time and all the while girls were being brutally murdered, she hoped it would end soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Lethal Envelopes

Nancy went back to her room, she knew Sherlock would be exhausted when he got back and she wanted to let him sleep, just as she got to the door Mrs Hudson stopped her,

' Nancy dear a letter arrived for you while you were out' she pulled the small envelope out of her pocket and handed it to Nancy,

' Thank you Mrs Hudson' she didn't give Mrs Hudson a chance to launch into a series of questions, she closed her door quickly and locked it. She looked down at the envelope, she knew the handwriting, she knew what it would say and she knew she'd been dreading this letter since she got back. She sat on the bed, all her energy had drained from her the second she took the envelope, she ripped the top open viciously and began to read;

_Dearest Nancy,_

_I hope my letter finds you well. I am sorry to have to write this Nancy but I have no choice you must know that, father is deeply in debt with this man and I fear what he will do._

_I realise that for fathers foolish actions it is you that will suffer and I don't know what I can do to help, I don't think there is anything any of us can do and for that I will never forgive myself._

_My darling sister if I could end this I would but he is adamant that if he cannot have you he will take fathers life as repayment and as much as I may currently loath him for putting you in this position, I could not bear to see him harmed or even worse killed._

_Nancy I am begging you, I beg on my knees, save my father._

All my love, your self-loathing brother

_Robert_

Nancy couldn't help crying as weak as it made her feel, she loved Robert dearly and couldn't bear to know he was suffering this much. She knew what she had to do, the trouble was every fibre of her being was screaming at her not too, she sat at her desk and began to write.

Sherlock returned to is room in the early hours of the morning; he was surprised to find Nancy gone and went to her room. He opened the door slightly and peered in, she was sitting bolt upright on the bed with her back to him, he crept in slowly and sat behind her on the bed, he wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her close to him,

' You know I cant sleep when you're not there?' he said smiling as he kissed her cheek, Nancy felt like she'd been punched in the chest,

' I didn't' she said quietly, she was glad he was behind her and couldn't see her face, he pulled her down so they were lying on their sides close to one another and nestled himself against her,

' Now you do, never leave my side again' he said as he kissed a patch of exposed skin at the top of her back, Nancy bit her lip and gripped his hand, to him it just seemed as though she was showing she wouldn't leave again but to Nancy it was her clinging to him for dear life.

A month had passed; she knew Robert was on his way and so was he. Her stomach lurched with dread every morning when she opened her eyes, Sherlock was so engrossed in the case he hadn't noticed, he was close to catching the killer. She left him to work one day and went to meet Mary in the park, her friend knew something was wrong straight away,

' What is it?' Mary said with an edge of panic in her voice

' I'm not sure how to put this…' Nancy said, Mary looked terrified

' It's alright Nancy you know you can tell me anything in the strictest confidence'

' I know I can Mary, I just don't like saying it'

' Just get it all out' the two of them sat down on a bench and Nancy took a deep breath,

' When we were in America I discovered Robert's father has quite a fondness for gambling, Robert had no idea, so when two men came looking for money he didn't have…well it was bad'

' But I thought he had plenty in the bank?' Mary said in surprise

' We all did, it turns out he's completely broke'

' Then what happened?'

' The man he owes money to is very powerful and when he found out that Roberts father didn't have any money for him he started looking for an alternative, that alternative was me'

' Oh god…Nancy'

' He and his wife think I would make a wonderful wife to their son, they're from London originally so they're coming back here with their son and I am expected to…'

' Marry him?' she nodded to answer Mary's question

' I don't want to, but if I don't they'll kill Roberts father'

' He cant do that!'

' Believe me Mary he has enough money, power and connections to get away with it, I couldn't bear to see Robert hurting so much so…so I agreed'

' Nancy no you cant'

' What choice do I have Mary?' Mary looked downcast as she stared at her friend,

' Does Holmes know?' she asked timidly after a few moments silence

' No, I cant bring myself to tell him…I have to I know but I just cant'

' You'll have to Nancy he needs to know' she nodded and Mary held her hand tightly.

She climbed out of the carriage and walked quietly through Mrs Hudson's house listening to all the tenants and the various noises that filled the house. She was going to miss it here; she was just climbing the stairs when Mrs Hudson stopped her,

' Nancy, you have another letter dear' she took it and smiled gratefully at Mrs Hudson, she turned to walk away but Mrs Hudson grabbed her hand,

' Nancy dear I'm no fool, you've been so disheartened this last month, please tell me what's troubling you?' Nancy couldn't hold it in anymore and she slapped her hand to her mouth and quietly sobbed, Mrs Hudson led her through the house to the kitchen where she told her the whole story once she'd calmed down. Mrs Hudson rubbed her hand and smiled sympathetically,

' Oh my poor dear, such a mess these men get us into, I am very aware of how much you care for Mr Holmes and it's because you care that you should tell him yourself and not let him hear it from anyone else, now what does that letter say?' Nancy opened it with a shaky hand and read it;

_Darling Nancy,_

_We have arrived in London, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr and Mrs Armstrong's son, Joseph, he is a kind man Nancy, nothing at all like his father, or his mother for that matter._

He has asked if he could meet you tomorrow for tea, I will stay if you would be uncomfortable being alone with him but he is adamant he will not have his parents interfere.

_On my life Nancy he is a good man, he would take care of you, I shall come to Baker Street tomorrow morning, I hope you are well my darling,_

_All my love, your adoring brother_

_Robert_

' Well there you go, your brother said he's a good man, Robert wouldn't lie to you' she nodded

' I should go and tell Sherlock' she stood up shakily and Mrs Hudson pulled her into a hug,

' Don't you fret about this dear, it'll all be alright you'll see' she smiled weakly and walked upstairs. Her heart ached with every step towards his door and she tried to compose herself before she went in, she opened the door to see Holmes standing across the room looking out of the window with his back to her, she could tell something was wrong and she knew for definite when he spoke in a cold, stern tone,

' Is it true?'

please review or I wont update x


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Not That Simple

' You have to hear me out, I don't have a choice in this'

' We always have a choice Nancy' he said coldly, he didn't look at her

' How did you find out?'

' Irene told me, so you're not denying it then?'

' How can I, if I don't do this Robert's father will be killed and I couldn't live with myself if I let that happen'

' That's his problem not yours'

' I know you're angry but there is no need to be so cold'

' You're right I am angry because I don't understand how you can abandon what we have so easily'

' You think this is easy for me, this is killing me'

' Then don't do it'

' It's not that simple I would lose my brother, I have little family left and you're asking me to throw them aside'

' Fine…then do what you have to, in truth Irene and I talked today and I realised I still have feelings for her it would be wrong of me to keep giving you any false hope so perhaps this is for the best' Nancy felt like he'd punched her in the stomach,

' You don't mean that?'

' I wouldn't say it if I didn't' he still hadn't looked at her once, tears spilled down her cheeks even though she willed them not too,

' Then I suppose there is nothing left to say'

' Indeed' she hesitated before walking out of the room, she walked to her room and flung herself on the bed, burying her face in the pillow and crying.

She woke up early the next day and packed her belongings into a trunk, she thought about going to see him again but part of her was angry, was he really still in love with Irene? Her anger grew as she thought of how much pleasure Irene would have taken in telling him all about it. She heard the doorbell ring and knew it was Robert, she pulled on her coat and walked slowly downstairs, she paused briefly as she passed his door and once again contemplated talking to him but Irene's smirking face flashed in her head and she carried on walking. Robert smiled nervously at her as she came down the stairs he was evidently unsure of how she was going to react once she saw him, he seemed certain she would scream and hit him instead she gave him a small smile and embraced her brother,

' I was worried you would hate me?' he said quietly

' I could never gate you Robert' she hugged Mrs Hudson goodbye and walked outside to the waiting carriage. They stayed silent for the whole ride and as they walked through the hotel where they would be staying for a while,

' Nancy, I never wanted this for you…I…'

' I know it's fine Robert'

' It's not fine, what's happened to you I was expecting the fiery Nancy I know to fight me all the way on this and it's like all the fight's gone out of you?'

' Perhaps it has, I'm tired of fighting Robert' he nodded and looked at the slightly solemn expression on her face,

' How did he take it?'

' He knew, an old…acquaintance of his informed him'

' Oh god…a brassy American woman by any chance?' she looked at him in surprise

' Yes…how did you know?'

' I saw father drunkenly talking to her yesterday in the hotel bar when we arrived, I had to pull him away oh god he must have told her' Nancy sighed and took the key from Robert to her room,

' Nancy if I could think of anything to stop this…'

' I know you would do it Robert' she smiled weakly at him and walked inside her room.

A week passed and she was due to meet Joseph, there had been no word from Sherlock and Mary had avoided the subject of him when she visited Nancy. Nancy couldn't help being curious about Joseph, Robert had said he was a good man perhaps she should give him the benefit of the doubt. She dressed and went out early in the morning for a walk in the park by the hotel, it was warm already and she had barely walked ten paces across the pristine path in the park when she heard her name being called, Robert was running towards her clutching a letter,

' Robert what is it?'

' A letter from your uncle' she took the envelope and tore it open, she sensed that this was bad news; she could feel it in her gut,

_Dearest Nancy,_

_I must be brief, your aunt is very ill and I…I feel it would be for the best if you came to see her immediately. I'm sorry to put this burden on you when you have enough going on in your life but I would never forgive myself if you weren't here with her. Please come quickly sweet pea_

All my love

_Uncle Harry_

' I have to leave at once Robert'

' What is it?'

' Aunt Peggy is seriously ill, I have to go to her'

' Of course, I'll arrange a carriage for you' he turned and ran back to the hotel, she joined him as he was speaking to the man on the reception desk,

' We actually have a resident going to a place just past there, he leaves in half an hour she could go with him'

' I couldn't let her go un-chaperoned?'

' She will be fine he's a doctor, he's travelling to see a patient I've known him years believe me no harm will come to your sister while she's with him' Robert turned to look at Nancy,

' Are you alright with this?'

' Yes I'm going to pack…half an hour did you say?' the receptionist smiled and nodded.

She sat in the carriage waiting for the doctor to arrive so she could leave Robert had gone to tell his father and the Armstrong's that her meeting with Joseph wouldn't be taking place today. She jumped as the door opened, the doctor was tall with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes and she had to admit he was very handsome,

' I apologise for being a bit late I got held up with one of the hotels permanent residents, she's a complete hypochondriac I'm Dr David Knightley'

' Nancy Jones' she said smiling as the carriage pulled away

' So what takes you out of London?' he said smiling warmly

' My aunt…she err…she's very ill and well this may be…'

' I understand' they stayed silent for the rest of the carriage ride and he helped her out of the carriage when she got to her old family home,

' It was a pleasure to meet you Nancy'

' You too Dr Knightley' he held on to her hand for a moment before letting go, she watched the carriage pull away and walked up to the house. Her uncle had been right her aunt was bad, she could barely speak or move she was so weak, Nancy sat with her most of the day and at night. A week passed and her aunt got weaker, she sat in the kitchen with her uncle, he looked tired and weak himself, all the stress was taking it's toll on him. Nancy didn't know what to do anymore, she felt like everything in her life was falling apart and there was no one she could talk to about it, she sat in the woods one morning and watched the wispy fog glide over the landscape,

' Penny for your thoughts?' she heard a deep voice say behind her.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Familiar

Nancy jumped and looked around into the bright blue eyes of Dr David Knightley, he smiled warmly and sat beside her,

' Sorry I didn't mean to startle you, how is your aunt?'

' Not good, I had to get out of the house and she's always asleep at this time in the morning so…'

' I understand if you like I could come round and check on her, if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience?'

' That would be lovely, I'll have to check how much money I have to pay you though'

' Don't be silly I wont take a penny'

' I can't ask you to do that'

' You're not asking I offered, it's a gift, accept it' she smiled; she liked the doctor he was a kind man,

' Tell me about yourself Nancy, I know nothing about you?'

' Well there's not much to tell' she lied, her history would make a prize-winning book if she wrote it down,

' Are you married?'

' Not yet…I will be soon'

' Congratulations how long have you been engaged?'

' Erm…well officially I'm not'

' I'm sorry I don't follow?'

' It's sort of an arranged marriage, I've never even met my future husband'

' I see, how do you feel about that?'

' Strange…my brother told me he's a lovely man which I'm glad about but part of me is scared'

' Well that's understandable, my advice would be to meet him, away from family and any other bad influences and talk to him, he's human he's probably just as nervous as you'

' Thank you Dr Knightley, you're very easy to talk to you know?'

' Years of having a good bedside manner' he said smiling.

He came to the house everyday, twice a day to check on her aunt, Nancy was so grateful to him and kept trying to pay him for his help but he refused every time. After she had been there for two weeks her aunt lost her battle with her illness, her uncle was inconsolable. On the day of the funeral Dr Knightley waited outside and escorted Nancy to the church, he'd been a wonderful friend to her and her uncle. She stood next to him at the graveside as the vicar droned out his same speech, she felt the tears prickling in her eyes and felt his hand grip hers tightly to show he was there for her.

Three days passed after the funeral and there was no sign of Dr Knightley; she woke up early one morning and decided to go for a walk through the woods. The light was dim and mist clung in the air as she walked through the dewy grass, clutching her shawl around her shoulders. She stopped and looked at the fields in the horizon, the breeze that blew a few strands of hair out of place was cold on her skin; she was in a world of her own,

' Nancy?' she gasped and jumped as Dr Knightley walked towards her,

' Sorry you startled me' she said giving him a weak smile

' I apologise, you're up very early?'

' I couldn't sleep'

' Neither could I' her skin erupted into goose bumps as he wrapped his hand around hers again like he had the day of the funeral,

' I should get back' she turned and tried to pull her hand from his but he gripped it tightly,

' Nancy please don't leave'

' Dr Knightley I have to get back'

' Nancy please call me David' he pulled her closer and she couldn't hold back anymore

' Please don't do this David, I have to marry someone else and I'm so confused' she sounded slightly hysterical,

' I'm sorry Nancy, calm down' he put an arm around her and sat her down on a large log on the ground, he rubbed her hands and pushed her hair out of her face,

' I'm sorry Nancy I shouldn't….'

' No I'm sorry I overreacted' she looked up and took a deep breath, he smiled at her and she wasn't sure what came over her but she closed the gap between them and kissed him, he didn't push her away instead he returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her.

She smiled to herself as she remembered that morning in the woods with David, she had to jolt herself out of it as the carriage pulled up outside. Robert had come to see her and she rushed to the door to greet him, she got another shock though as Alice ran up the path to her smiling,

' What are you doing here?' she said hugging the girl

' I'm sick of America I want to come back here and live with my uncle again' she tried to smile but Nancy knew losing aunt Peggy was just as hard on Alice as it was on her. They sat in the kitchen talking until someone knocked on the door; Nancy smiled at David and let him in,

' Robert this is…'

' Joseph, what are you doing here?' Robert said standing up and smiling at the familiar man.

**review or i wont update x**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Second Best

Nancy gaped at him as Robert passed her and greeted Joseph, she turned and walked quickly through the house to the back door. She quickened her pace once she was outside and walked through the woods, she felt sick at being deceived, how could he do that to her?

' Nancy…. Nancy please wait' she heard him shout but she kept walking, anger burning inside of her, she heard his footsteps thumping faster against the ground as he ran to catch up with her.

' Nancy please?' he said catching up with her and grabbing her arm

' Please what!' she shouted angrily

' I never meant to deceive you'

' But you did, you lied and let me think you were someone else the whole time'

' I wanted you to get to know me, not who my parents would describe to you, the real me'

' But I don't know the real you…I gave up so much…and this is what I get'

' I know'

' You know nothing!' she said bitterly

' I know more than you think'

' I doubt that'

' You love another…you're only marrying me to settle your step fathers debt, how much of that is wrong?' she looked away and he nodded solemnly,

' I know I'm not the one you love Nancy, but you must know in the short time I've known you I…I have very much come to…to love you' she squeezed her eyes shut tightly as his words hit her,

' I hope that you would come to love me but even if you didn't I would consider myself the luckiest man alive just to be with you Nancy' he moved closer and ran his fingers gently over her cheek,

' Could you never love me Nancy?' she opened her eyes and the cold air stung them,

' Not never…Joseph you have to understand that…. that I am still in love with this other man and…and what if I never stopped loving him could you really marry a woman who loved someone else?'

' My love for you outweighs any doubts I may have Nancy, I can live knowing I am second best'

' I could never ask you to do that'

' I am offering you my heart Nancy, if you reject it, it would never heal'.

Holmes stood in the cold, foggy street with Watson, another girl had been killed and as much as he wanted to focus on the case at hand, he couldn't stop thinking about Nancy. Watson had told him about her aunts' death and as soon as he'd heard he'd wanted to go to her but he was still angry and his anger was making him bitter. Watson and Mary were doing their best to try and snap him out of it but nothing was working.

Two months passed when the news reached him, the news that crushed his heart and made him retreat into the sanctuary of his room until he became reclusive.

' You have to snap out of this Holmes, I know you're crushed but there are women being murdered out on these streets we have to solve this case'

' She did it Watson, she actually married that stuck up…Dr Joseph something…I never thought she would go through with it'

' Joseph Armstrong is a good man and a very good doctor, he will look after her Holmes'

' Not like I could'

' No I don't think anyone could love her like you did'

' Do…I do love her Watson…nothing will change that'.

_**Sorry it's a bit short guys, happy Xmas everyone, please review it would be a great Xmas present lol x**_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Wedding Night

Nancy sat in her room upstairs; her wedding dress draped over a chair. She sighed as she heard Joseph's footsteps coming up the stairs and stood up. She didn't dislike him in anyway but she was about to share her bed with a man she didn't truly love and it felt strange. Joseph closed the door behind him, he was a little shaky himself she noticed, he smiled and crossed the room to her.

His fingers trembled as he touched her cheek; she smiled at him comfortingly. He trailed his fingers down her neck and kissed her lips gently, Joseph untied the silk robe she wore and pushed it off her shoulders, she let it cascade to the floor. Joseph slowly unbuttoned her nightdress until a line of skin down the centre of her torso was exposed to him; he ran his fingers down her stomach and back up again letting them brush the curve of her breast.

Joseph felt something stir deep inside of him, he'd wanted her since he'd first seen a picture of her, when he met her and got to know her more it just made his feelings for her stronger. He pushed the nightdress off her shoulders and watched it fall to the floor, Nancy lowered her head slightly and he saw her cheeks tinged with pink blush, he assumed it was just nerves. She stood before him completely naked and Joseph felt short of breath as he gently pulled her closer and ran his hands down her smooth back. He led her to the bed and Nancy laid down, Joseph removed his robe and blew out a few candles, Nancy stared at his naked body, it wasn't like Sherlock's, Joseph wasn't as toned and had a thinner, taller frame.

Joseph walked over to the bed and lay next to her, his nerves were easing as he kissed her, his wife, his Nancy. After a moment he felt more comfortable to touch her and his hand glided over her hip, up her side until he was caressing her breast, he kissed down her neck and onto her chest until his lips had enveloped her pale pink nipple. Nancy turned her face to the side and couldn't help thinking of Sherlock, she wished it was him; she pretended it was him. His lips kissing her, his hands touching her, his breathe on her skin and his flesh against hers.

Nancy lay in the dark her new husbands breathing was the only other sound in the room. She lay on her side and felt the tears run down her face onto the pillow, it wasn't the sex that was making her cry though she had to admit it felt wrong to be with another man. She missed him, she missed Sherlock with all her heart but she'd made vows and promises and she refused to break them.

Sherlock sat in the dark of his study, it was 2am and he'd only just returned back to Baker Street. He had tried to focus on the case but his mind wandered back to her, instead he walked the streets letting his feet take him where ever they chose, they chose to walk to the church where a wedding had recently taken place. Her wedding. He looked at the wilting petals on the ground and wondered what she had looked like, beautiful he knew and it pained him. He carried on walking as the sky darkened, he thought of her in his house with him, her husband, he thought of them together naked in her husbands bed and anger surged through him. Now alone in the dark comfort of his room he was free to sit and stew on his anger until tomorrow, tomorrow he resolved to forget her, to let her be Mrs Armstrong and to solve his case before any other innocent girls lost their lives.

Nancy shivered in the darkness and pulled the blankets around her naked body, Joseph rolled over and enveloped her in a warm embrace, she closed her eyes realizing that this was her life now. She'd made her choice; she couldn't expect Holmes to ever forgive her for this and she didn't think he would. She was Joseph's wife now, he was a good man, he'd take care of her.

Review please peeps x


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: stop it

Nancy and Mary walked through the bustling park in London, it was an unusually warm day and people were out making the most of things. The two women talked happily, despite her reservations Nancy had grown to care for Joseph in the last six months, he was good to her and he cared about her. She thought back to the morning after their wedding night, he'd held her close and kissed her, his smile had been unwavering as he stroked her hair,

' Nancy, will you promise me something?'

' Of course, what is it?'

' Promise you'll never leave me?' she heard the tinge of desperation in his voice and her heart ached,

' I wont leave you Joseph' he smiled and kissed her again.

She couldn't blame him for asking her that, the poor man must have been terrified that any minute his wife was going to run away with another man and leave him broken hearted.

They'd become close but she hated to admit that she hadn't once told him she loved him, Joseph said it to her all the time and he seemed to accept she couldn't say it back.

' So how is married life Mrs Armstrong?' Mary said smiling as they sat on a bench

' Lovely thank you, when will you be becoming Mrs Watson?'

' Oh don't, john's in a terrible state at the moment'

' Why what's happened to him?'

' Oh it's not him, it's Holmes really and this unsolvable case he's been working on for god knows how long'

' He's still no closer to solving it?'

' No and ten more girls are dead, he's trying but…well he just doesn't seem to be able to focus, he's fighting more too'

' I can't help feeling responsible'

' Stop it, he's a grown man acting like a child Nancy, he'll come round'.

Mary's words ate away at Nancy all day; she couldn't help feeling guilty for adding to his anguish. Joseph was away for a few days and she took the opportunity to go and speak to Holmes. She didn't go straight to Baker street; she had a good idea of where he was.

Holmes sat in the room above the fight; he held a cloth to his bleeding head and took a swig of whiskey to dull the pain. He didn't open his eyes when the door creaked open; it was probably Watson there to lecture him again,

' You look well' he opened his eyes and saw Nancy, he wanted to shout at her, tell her how angry he was at her but the sight of her just made him feel better than he had in months,

' As do you' he said sitting up a bit straighter, ' how is married life?'

' Fine thank you'

' You're happy?'

' I'm not unhappy'

' That isn't what I asked'

' What do you want me to say?'

' That you've left him and you're coming back to me' she took the cloth off him and dabbed the cut on his head,

' It's not that simple and you know it'

' You want to though don't you?' he looked up at her

' If I say yes will you stop moping about and pull yourself together?'

' No I will do those things when you are back with me'

' Stop asking me to leave my husband, I made vows Sherlock'

' Yes but for the wrong reasons' he shot at her, a hint of the anger showing

' He's a good man'

' Do you love him?' Sherlock was on his feet now; he stood in front of her and stared her down,

' That's none of your business'

' Do you love him?' he said it slower this time,

' Stop it' he gripped her body and pulled her close to him, the stubbles on his cheek brushed against her cheek,

' Just tell me you don't love him' his tone was quiet and pleading, Nancy couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek gently,

' You don't need me to answer that Sherlock, you already know' he moved and his deep brown eyes bore into her blue eyes, he ran his thumb across her cheek and she closed her eyes and let herself enjoy his touch.

Nancy wasn't sure how it happened; one moment they were just stood there, the next they were on the floor tearing each other's clothes off. She was grateful for the noise of the fight downstairs drowning them out, months away from him had made her desire for him strong. They gripped each other tightly, him on top, then her on top, it was frenzied and almost animalistic but the way he kissed her was still the kiss of the man she loved.

Nancy sat in the warm bath back at her house, she couldn't help crying, she felt awful for betraying Joseph but another part of her was screaming with joy.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: tick…tick…tick…

It had been five months since he'd seen her, he was aching for her but he had to focus. They had made great progress with the case, though sadly another eight women had lost their lives; the deaths were becoming more and more brutal. He was mocking them all; he thought he was untouchable. She still consumed him but he saw the guilty look on her face after their last encounter and knew he was being unfair to her. Her family meant everything to her and he was asking her to jeopardize them for a few steamy trysts with him. He put her to the back of his mind as he leant down next to the shaking Dr Tobin and examined the body. Dr Tobin hadn't been able to adjust to this case, he was young and the constant stream of butchered women was taking its toll on him mentally.

Nancy sat on her bed and looked at the rising sun through her window, she felt the bed shift and Joseph sat up and kissed her shoulder gently,

' How are you this morning?' she could tell he was smiling, he hadn't stopped smiling for the last four months.

Nancy had been consumed with guilt after he night with Holmes and had been the perfect wife ever since, though sex with him now felt like she was trying to absolve herself.

It had started three and a half months ago, and it was impossible to hide the fact that she was vomiting most mornings from a doctor, Joseph's face had lit up instantly and he insisted on examining her. He was overjoyed when he confirmed she was pregnant, Nancy was happy but she still felt uneasy. She was happy but part of her wished for the baby to be Holmes'.

She turned slightly and kissed him, he smiled again and sat behind her so both his hands rested on her swollen stomach,

' Tired, but fine' she answered as he kissed her neck and nestled his face against her, holding her close.

Nancy hated herself when she saw how happy Joseph was, he was a good man and she knew how much he cared about her and she had betrayed him.

The only person she had told was Mary, Mary hadn't judged her, she understood Nancy's feelings for Holmes, the two of them talked and Mary's eyes flickered to Nancy's stomach every now and then.

Nancy left Mary's home when it was still light and she walked slowly, her now 6 month pregnancy stomach slowed her down but she needed the air.

Joseph paced franticly and Watson looked at him helplessly, Holmes stared at the man who had married his Nancy and couldn't help feeling pity for him. He understood this mans torment, he felt it himself. Nancy had been missing for two days, no one had seen her since she had left Mary's and Holmes felt as though there was a clock ticking. He knew who had her and he knew if they didn't find her soon they'd never see her alive again, tick…tick…tick.

Review please peeps x love you all and thanks for reading x


	15. Chapter 15

Forgive me for taking ages to update and review x

Chapter 15: A Hunch

Nancy lay in the dark, she didn't know how long she'd been there but her head ached and it was cold. Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness but it was no good, she didn't know how long she'd been awake but she knew she was in pain.

Sherlock stormed through the streets with Watson hot on his heel,

' Remind me where are we going?' Watson said as he caught up

' He has Nancy and based on the women who have been going missing we don't have a lot of time'

' You can't be sure he has her'

' I know he has her…he's taunting me Watson'

' So what are you going to do?'

' We…we my friend are going to start this from scratch we've missed something I can feel it' he said quickening his pace.

They came to a small pub called the white hare and he stopped outside, Watson looked at him and was about to speak when Holmes cut him off,

' All the women who were killed drank here, they were prostitutes, but none of them really knew each other because they all worked different areas'

' They knew each other by name though'

' Yes but not personally…we need someone who knew at least one of these girls personally'

' So we're looking for an acquaintance? Holmes we tried this'

' We didn't try hard enough, now start talking to people' he pushed the door open and disappeared into the crowd; Watson followed and went the other way.

They'd been there for three hours and Watson had spoken to half the pubs occupants and had no luck. He gave up asking people and decided to search for Holmes. Holmes was occupying a dark corner of the pub with a small child; Watson frowned and walked over,

' What is a child doing in here?' Holmes stood up and moved closer to Watson,

'Her mother works this area and leaves her here until she's…finished shall we say' Watson looked slightly disgusted but sat down,

' Jennifer is our acquaintance Watson, she sits here night after night and watches these people'

' So you knew some of the women?' Watson asked her kindly, she nodded nervously,

' Did you often see who they were with or has someone new been in here recently Jennifer?' she nodded again

' Could you describe him?' Watson asked her

' Young…seemed nice…had some money, not rich but you know he had money…smart too' she murmured

' Did he seem strange to you?' Watson said scribbling notes

' Not really…he was nice that's why they liked him'

' Has he been in recently?'

' Not for months'

' So there was nothing strange about him?' Watson said pressing her for any other small detail she could remember,

' No…he always wore a long coat and a hat so it was hard to see his face…but that was about it' she bit her lip nervously

' Thank you Jennifer you've been a great help to us' Holmes said handing her a few coins.

They stood up and walked out of the pub, Watson took a moment to inhale the slightly fresher air,

' Well we don't know much more than we did four hours ago' he muttered, Holmes didn't speak, instead he just started to walk again but it was a slower walk like he'd lost his purpose. Watson followed slowly, he knew Holmes well enough to know that he wanted some space right now,

' Wait!' they both turned and saw Jennifer running out of the pub doors to them

' What is it?' Watson asked as she pulled a shawl up over her head to shield her face,

' I forgot…well I don't know if it matters really…but I …'

' Anything you know can help us Jennifer?'

' Well he had a weird…a twitch you know like a nervous twitch whenever he first spoke to any of them'

' What did he do? What did his nervous twitch entail?' Holmes asked crouching down so he was level with her,

' He used so stretch his neck to the side, clear his throat, tug his colour then itch his face'

' That's very precise?' Watson said sceptically, he now believed Jennifer was after a few more coins

' He does it in that exact order every time, I watched him at first I thought it was funny and I laughed, he caught me laughing once and glared at me and…'

' And what?' Holmes said urgently

' He said I shouldn't laugh at men like him…that it would get me into trouble' she looked around nervously as though she was waiting for someone to jump out at her,

' Thank you Jennifer' Holmes handed her more money and she ran back into the pub, he straightened up and began walking again, he walked so quickly he was almost running,

' You don't believe that do you?' Watson said running to catch up with him,

' Yes…I do' Holmes said his stride quickening

' What makes you think she didn't just want to raid your pocket a bit more?'

' Because I've seen that nervous tic…in the exact order she described…I had a hunch and she's confirmed it'

' You know who it is!'

' Yes Watson…I do'

Review pleaseeee x


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Limp

Nancy bit down on her lip and tried not to scream but the pain in her abdomen was ripping through her and making her feel sick.

The gloved hand of the figure crouching over her stroked her hair out of her face and patted her cheek,

' It will all be over soon' the deep, croaky voice murmured.

Watson was now running to keep up with Holmes,

' Would you please tell me where we're going?' he shouted

' Why we're here' Holmes said running up the front steps to a large black door, he slammed his fist against it and after a few seconds repeated his action.

A flustered looking maid opened the door and Holmes strode past her, Watson followed apologising to the maid who now looked quite disgruntled,

' This is Nancy's house' Watson said catching up with Holmes,

' Indeed it is'

' Why are we here?'

' Because Lestrade is here'

' And…?'

' He knows where our murderer is'

' Are you seriously suggesting Lestrade is an accomplice?' Watson said gaping at Holmes,

' No Watson, I am saying that our killer is known to him' Lestrade and Joseph walked out of the lounge looking flustered,

' Any news?' Joseph said fearfully, Holmes couldn't help pitying the man; he knew his pain very well,

' Perhaps, Lestrade would you please come with us?'

' Why?' Lestrade said frowning

' So that you can apprehend our murderer'

' You know who it is?' he said wide-eyed

' Yes and so do you' Holmes said turning and heading for the front door.

Nancy was now crying and screaming with fear and pain. The bleeding had started, she knew enough about pregnancy to know what this meant.

She cried until her voice gave out and she tried to drown out the deep, hoarse voice that loomed over her and enjoying her pain.

It was the second time she'd been held captive by a crazy person and she was almost willing him to hurry up and end her torment.

The deep, hoarse laugh was silenced by the sound of a door slamming open. Nancy couldn't help feeling a glimmer of hope as footsteps crashed down the stairs to them.

The figure backed away from her and she turned her head to see Holmes, Watson, Lestrade, Joseph and several of Lestrades men come thundering down into the basement.

The room lit up from the lamps carried by Lestrades men and she watched Lestrades mouth open into a gaping 'o' shape,

' I don't believe it…Tobin?' the lanky doctor stood back against the wall with a calm yet mad expression on his face, Joseph crouched down and gripped Nancy's hand,

' How did you know?' he said quietly to Holmes

' You have a nervous tic Tobin, I first noticed it when we were on the scene of Annie's murder…the murder you committed, when you were present at the other murder scenes I noticed it as well'

' That proves nothing' Tobin said with a small sinister smile,

' It does when you have a witness that can place you and your tic with several of the victims hours before their deaths' Holmes kept glancing at Nancy who couldn't take her eyes off him,

' I need to get Nancy out of here, she's losing a lot of blood' Joseph said quietly to Watson, Watson moved away to send one of Lestrades men for a carriage when Tobin moved.

He was quicker than anyone had anticipated and it took them a moment to realise why he looked triumphant when he moved away from Joseph and Nancy.

Blood was seeping everywhere and Joseph screamed and pulled Nancy close to him as she went limp.

**Sorry for taking so long to update, next chapter will be the final x**

**Please review xxx**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: One Day

Holmes turned his head slightly and looked behind him; the entire church was full. Figures clothed in dark ebony filled the pews and some had resorted to standing just so they could attend.

He turned back to the front of the church and his eyes automatically locked on the coffin before them all.

Watson and Mary sat beside him and Mrs Hudson was on his other side with Lestrade next to her. Nancy's uncle Harry Robert, and Alice were beside Watson and Mary; both looked dishevelled and Alice kept her head down the whole time the vicar conducted the funeral.

Holmes himself only caught bits of what the vicar was saying; he found this all too difficult,

_' We pray for this poor infant and hope he finds peace, we pray for the mother and that she may also find peace'_

Holmes felt his stomach tighten at the mention of Nancy and was ultimately glad when the vicar finally stopped talking.

They stood outside in the graveyard; it was quite a cold, frosty day but the sun still shone brilliantly and dazzled all their eyes. They followed the coffin; the coffin that contained one adult and one child to be buried together.

Everyone crowded around the freshly dug hole in the ground and bowed their heads for one final prayer.

Holmes watched them lower the coffin into the ground and a few muffled sobs could be heard from the crowd.

Eventually the crowd began to scatter, Holmes left with a few others while Watson and Mary stayed to talk to Nancy's family.

He walked alone down the gravelled pathway wondering how it had all come to this?

He eventually paused and sat down on a bench nearby, he replayed that nights events over and over in his mind but there was no other prognosis: death had been inevitable that night.

He broke from his thoughts and pulled his pocket watch out, he'd been sitting there for two hours. He stood up intending to head back to his home but he found his feet wished to carry him another way.

He headed back towards that newly filled in grave and saw a lone figure standing by it, he crossed the dewy grass quietly and came to stand next to the figure,

' Watson said you should be resting, you been through a lot' he said quietly without looking at his companion,

' I had to come…I had to say goodbye to them' the voice was silent almost ghostly,

' Understandably…if I could have stopped it I would have you know that? '

' Of course I know that…'

' I'll leave you then…' Holmes turned and began to walk back down the slight embankment to the path when the mourners voice made him stop,

' It was always you, you know that don't you?' the words cut through his heart, he didn't respond instead he continued walking away.

She watched him walk away until he was completely out of sight. When he was gone she pulled back the black mesh attached to her hat and stared down at the grave of her deceased husband and child.

She thought back to that night, how Joseph had protected her and how Holmes had defended her. She remembered the pained look on josephs face as all the colour drained from his cheeks and how the hot blood spilled from his neck onto her.

That was all she could remember from that night, she blacked out soon after.

When she came round she had to hear the news that her unborn child had died and that her husband had died from a fatal stab wound.

Nancy stood in the graveyard wondering what to do now. She couldn't stay in josephs house and be pitied by everyone around her.

It took a month to set everything straight. She made sure her family were looked after and that all debts were settled. She sold josephs house but made sure his staff were kept on so no one would lose their job. She went to stay with her uncle and Alice for a few days; it was her secret way of saying goodbye to them. Nancy had no intention of staying in England.

She stood on the dock and waited patiently. She would travel for a while and try to recover from the past few years' experiences,

' Running again I see' a voice murmured in her ear from right beside her

' We've been here before' she said

' Yes but I didn't get the chance to speak with you last time' he said in his matter-of-fact tone,

' You were here though' she knew he was smiling,

' Where will you go?' he said in a suddenly serious tone

' I don't know yet…Paris maybe…or Italy?' she really didn't know where she was going or what she would do when she got there,

' I hear Paris is lovely' he said as he looked around the docks

' Is that why you came to see me?' she said turning to him

' No…I came to apologise' his serious tone returning

' What on earth for?' Nancy was stunned and couldn't think what he could possibly need to apologise for,

' I should have saved Joseph…I should have protected you better' he said frowning,

' I wouldn't even be here now if I weren't for you and I know you did everything you could, so you can stop all that' she said gripping his hand at her side,

' So what happens now?' he said squeezing her hand gently,

' I get on that boat…and I leave, you have cases to solve I'm sure?' she said letting go of his hand,

' Is that it then?' he said, his brow furrowed,

' Oh don't get me wrong I'm sure our paths will cross again one day Sherlock' she gave him a small smile and his face relaxed,

' I shall make sure they do' he said returning the smile.

He watched her sail away from him again and felt that same sinking feeling deep inside. It felt wrong for her to not be with him. He felt wrong, like there was a part of him missing.

' One day' he said quietly to himself.

**ok so that was the last part in this series but i'm not sure i'm ready to let go of sherlock and nancy (or shancy as i'm going to call them)**

**review if you want more shancy :) xxx**


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